Only Fools Rush In
by friskynotebook
Summary: Frank and Kelly take the next step in their relationship when a life crisis threatens to get in the way. Set in season seven. Assumes established relationship. AU after the end of season four. I don't own anything. If you want money from me, I'll help you look for it.


"Here's what I still don't get—how did you guys manage to keep it a secret? I never had to field questions from the press about your relationship," Garrett asked in between mouthfuls of ravioli.

"Yeah, I didn't hear a word until you introduced Frank to me, Kelly. Usually _Page Six_ is all over that kind of stuff," Hannah, Kelly's sister, piped in.

Frank and Kelly exchanged glances across the Reagan dining room table. They both knew this question was bound to come up. After all, this was the first time both families had gotten together since they started dating.

Kelly shrugged. "We didn't start dating until after I resigned as inspector general. As long as we were careful about what we did and where we went, no one made a fuss."

"And Kelly wasn't in the public eye anymore," Frank chimed in. "Anyone who saw us probably didn't know who she was."

"Wait, back up. How did you both start dating?" Nicky asked as she reached for the butter dish. "I mean, I know when you got together, but how did it happen?"

Everyone else at the table suddenly became more interested in the conversation. While the change in Frank's disposition was clear once Kelly came into his life, no one knew exactly how they came together.

"Well, Kelly started it," Frank said.

"Oh really?" Kelly said, picking up her wine glass. "I started it?"

Frank rolled his eyes and turned back to Nicky. "During the Eileen Clayton cover-up, I had to ask Kelly for a favour. Almost out of nowhere, she confronted me—"

"'Confronted' is hardly the word I would use," Kelly interjected.

Frank continued, undeterred. "—About me still wearing my wedding ring. At that point, I hadn't really thought about taking it off. She told me I needed a partner in my life, and then she resigned because of her feelings for me."

"Bold move," Nicky said, nodding her head approvingly in Kelly's direction.

"Until she resigned, I had no idea how she felt," Frank finished, to the shock of everyone at the table.

"How?" Garrett asked, too stunned to say anything else.

"I remember your first press conference together—the one about Eddie?" Jamie said. "I didn't think anything was going on, but I definitely sensed something."

"Oh please," Danny retorted. "You had no idea—just admit it."

"I did too," Jamie turned to his brother. "I could tell there was something there."

"What, were your spidey senses tingling?" Danny snorted.

"I still can't believe most of you had no idea," Kelly chuckled, sipping her glass of wine. "I thought it was obvious."

"Okay, but how did you start actually dating?" Paige, Kelly's niece, asked.

Frank looked at Kelly. "I couldn't stop thinking about what she said and, frankly, I couldn't stop thinking about her. After a while, I couldn't figure out what I was waiting for."

He turned back to the rest of the table. "So I bought a bottle of gin, went to her house, and asked her to dinner."

"Yeah, after I set him straight," Henry piped in.

"Wait, you did?" Nicky asked, surprised. "How long did you wait, Grandpa?"

"Three weeks," Frank said.

"How did you wait three weeks?" Brian, Kelly's brother in law, asked. Everyone else murmured in agreement.

"Nothing he does surprises me at this point," Garrett sighed, pouring himself more wine.

"How did you make it happen, Grandpa?" Erin said, turning to Henry.

"Yeah, Gramps, what did you have to do with it?" Danny added.

"One night, he was sitting in the living room looking completely lost," Henry began. "I asked him what was wrong and he told me about Kelly. All I said to him was that he deserved to move on and be happy. If he was ready, he shouldn't let her go."

"I'm glad I didn't," Frank said, flashing a warm smile at Kelly.

"So when he asked you out," Paige looked at her aunt. "You said yes, right?"

"Well, I didn't really have a choice," Kelly said.

Frank looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You showed up at my door," she said with a little bit of a shrug. She put her glass down. "If you called, I would have made you sweat a little," she finished, giving Frank a wink.

"I don't know about you, but I think it's time for some cheesecake," Frank said, standing up.

"Good idea," Linda added, collecting plates.

Frank stood. "Now, now. You're guests. Give the plates to me and just sit. Enjoy the wine."

Kelly stood too, reaching for the plates closest to her. "I'll go grab the dessert."

Frank followed her into the kitchen. Kelly started rinsing dishes in the sink.

"You know," Frank said as he grabbed clean plates. "We do have a dishwasher."

"You don't say." He heard the clunk of a plate being placed on the rack. Frank turned to see half the dishes already in there.

"Just checking," he joked.

She smiled, placing the last of the dinner plates in the machine. "A rather curious bunch, aren't they?"

He nodded. "Almost as if it were a press conference."

"You know," Kelly closed the door of the dishwasher and turned to Frank with a sly smile. "What you didn't mention in there was when you first knew you loved me."

Frank chuckled as he grabbed dessert plates. "Did you want a time sheet?" Kelly swatted him with a dishcloth.

He took over loading the dishwasher. "About a year after we started dating, I had a rough day at work—just wanted to go home. Except that night, I ended up outside your house."

Kelly raised her eyebrow as she grabbed forks, but didn't say anything.

He continued. "You see, I thought I told Mark to go straight home, but it turned out I'd given him your address." He paused, not looking at her. "I didn't even realize it. It was only when Mark stopped outside your house and asked how long you would be that I felt it."

"Felt what?" she asked quietly.

Frank looked at her and smiled. "Like I was home."

Kelly stepped towards him, swallowing the emotion building inside her chest. "You think of me as home?"

He nodded. "Ever since."

Kelly kissed his cheek, her smile pressing against his face. She walked to the fridge, pausing with her hand on the door. "Can you believe it's been three years since our first kiss?"

Frank smiled. "Feels like only yesterday."

She opened the fridge door, puzzled as she saw the empty space on the shelf in front of her. "I could have sworn I put the cheesecake—"

Her eyes focused on the small black box sitting where the dessert had been. Her heart started racing.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Open it and find out," he replied.

She opened the box with slightly trembling hands and saw a diamond ring glittering in the light from the fridge—the same one he showed her when she was moving in.

 _TWO YEARS AGO_

 _Kelly held up the ring she found in the drawer she was putting her things in._

" _I didn't peg you as the jewellery type," she said, turning her head to face him._

" _Well, I'm a man of many mysteries," he said cheekily, letting his hand graze by her lower back as he walked past her._

 _She raised an eyebrow with the ring sitting in her palm._

" _It was my grandmother's, if you must know," he added._

 _Kelly smiled, looking down at the ring again. "Is this the same ring you gave Mary?" she asked. With the ease of their relationship, she never felt the need to filter these kinds of questions._

 _Frank shook his head. "No. I never actually gave her an engagement ring—I proposed without one."_

" _Brave man," Kelly replied._

Kelly let out a small gasp. She took a breath, trying to compose herself. She turned to Frank, the fridge door closing itself behind her. She swallowed. "Aren't you supposed to go down on one knee?"

He smiled. "You and I both know I'm too old for that."

Frank approached took her free hand. "Before I met you, I had to watch _The Bridge on the River Kwai_ by myself." Kelly chuckled, letting the tears fall down her face.

Frank wiped them away, cupping her face. "When Mary died, I didn't think I would ever find love again. I didn't think I would let myself find love again. And then you came into my life—first as a colleague, then as a friend. You're the person I confided in, talked to at the end of a long day. And now, I can't imagine my life without you by my side. You're my partner—for better or for worse." He glanced back at the dining room. "Don't tell Garrett, but you're my best friend."

Kelly smiled, but didn't say anything, afraid she'd start crying again.

Frank took the box from her hand and pulled the ring out. "Kelly Peterson, I love you deeply and completely. Will you marry me?" he said, his voice thick with emotion.

She nodded, tears now freely coming down her cheeks. "Yes," she choked out.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. After a minute, he broke the kiss, took her left hand from his shoulder, and put the ring on.

Kelly glanced at the clock behind Frank, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "We should probably get back out there before they send a search party."

He smiled. "I'll get the dessert."

She went to the bathroom and touched up her make-up before grabbing the plates and forks, while Frank carried in the cheesecake.

Kelly covered her left hand after setting down the plates. "Should we tell them now or later?" she whispered to Frank.

"Have you asked her yet?" Sean asked Frank, as everyone at the table aggressively shushed him.

Kelly looked at Frank, one eyebrow raised. "They knew?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," he replied, a small smile creeping over his mouth. She turned to the rest of the families, none of them able to contain their excitement.

"Anyone want dessert?" Kelly asked, showing off the cheesecake with her left hand and a wide smile on her face.

The families cheered and applauded while Hannah got up and hugged her sister.

"Finally!" Danny exclaimed.


End file.
